A gas turbine engine generally includes a fan and a core arranged in flow communication with one another. Additionally, the core of the gas turbine engine generally includes, in serial flow order, a compressor section, a combustion section, a turbine section, and an exhaust section. In operation, air is provided from the fan to an inlet of the compressor section where one or more axial compressors progressively compress the air until it reaches the combustion section. Fuel is mixed with the compressed air and burned within the combustion section to provide combustion gases. The combustion gases are routed from the combustion section to the turbine section. The flow of combustion gases through the turbine section drives the turbine section and is then routed through the exhaust section, e.g., to atmosphere.
The combustion section of the gas turbine engine must withstand extremely high operating temperatures. Due to these high temperatures, a heat shield (e.g., a deflector plate) may be placed around a dome of the combustor assembly. Deflector plates may be fabricated from various materials that are preferably characterized by mechanical and environmental properties that are particularly well suited for its use as a heat shield in the combustor environment of a gas turbine engine.
Even with the advance of high temperature materials, combustor components that are closest in proximity to the combustion flame are still at risk of premature degradation. For example, the inventors of the present disclosure have discovered an area surrounding, or proximate to, the mixers and nozzles of the combustor assembly that are particularly susceptible to damage. Accordingly, a combustor assembly for a gas turbine engine capable of preventing damage to the discovered area surrounding, or proximate to, the mixers and nozzles of the combustor assembly during operation of the gas turbine engine would be useful.